Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           SoitwaskindoflikewalkingintoyourfirstjobandproudlycomparingyourbosstoHitler.

           Asyoucanimagine,hewasfired.

           SoBeckertookhisradicalideassomewherethattheymightbeaccepted:Berkeley,California.Butthis,too,didn’tlastlong.

           Becauseitwasn’tjusthisanti-establishmenttendenciesthatgotBeckerintotrouble;itwashisoddteachingmethodsaswell.HewoulduseShakespearetoteachpsychology,psychologytextbookstoteachanthropology,andanthropologicaldatatoteachsociology.He’ddressupasKingLearanddomockswordfightsinclassandgoonlongpoliticalrantsthathadlittletodowiththelessonplan.Hisstudentsadoredhim.Theotherfacultyloathedhim.Lessthanayearlater,hewasfiredagain.

           BeckerthenlandedatSanFranciscoStateUniversity,whereheactuallykepthisjobformorethanayear.ButwhenstudentprotestseruptedovertheVietnamWar,theuniversitycalledintheNationalGuardandthingsgotviolent.WhenBeckersidedwiththestudentsandpubliclycondemnedtheactionsofthedean(again,hisbossbeingHitleresqueandeverything),hewas,onceagain,promptlyfired.

           Beckerchangedjobsfourtimesinsixyears.Andbeforehecouldgetfiredfromthefifth,hegotcoloncancer.Theprognosiswasgrim.Hespentthenextfewyearsbedriddenandhadlittlehopeofsurviving.SoBeckerdecidedtowriteabook.Thisbookwouldbeaboutdeath.

           Beckerdiedin1974.